Trick article



L. SCHNEIDER Oct. 15, 1940.

TRICK ARTICLE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Iain] we/7650i,

Filed Nov. 24, 1937 hraeuierr Oct. 15, 1940. SCHNElDER 2,218,455

TRICK ARTICLE Filed Nov. 24, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ZAAAMMAAZHHWIHIE E "1" l 3 n 12 Z 2021 52 35 55 I Z ,meiatal: ,-%-,I3. davgq Jcluwokien Patented Oct. 15, 1940 PATENT OFFICE TRICK ARTICLE Ludwig Schneider, Nuremberg, Germany, assignor to the firm Carl Quehl, Nuremberg, Germany I Application November 24, 1937 Serial No; 176,387 In Germany April 11, 1936 Claims.

The invention relates to a trick article, for v example in the form of a matchbox Inside the box is a trick device which, in the article being lifted from the support, is released by a trip 5 lever and then comes into operation.

The trick device according to this invention consists in a sparking element, sothat, when the article is lifted from the support by a person a shower of sparks is sprayed out towards him w and startles him, to the delight of the onlookers.

The new trick article startles and astonishes the person unacquainted with its construction, by emitting a powerful shower of sparks precisely at the moment he is least prepared for any unexpected occurrence, namely on taking hold of the article, i. e. lifting it from the support. Thus, no suspicion can be aroused beforehand, and the amusement caused by the appearance of the sparks is therefore complete. Moreover, the fun 39 and surprise caused by the new trick article are substantially greater and more genuine than the effect produced by vibratory articles, which surprise is very slight, because the firstvibrational movements already reveal to everyone the nature :5 of the article, so that no one is startled.

The trip lever checking and releasing the spark- To prevent any possibility of damage to the support from the sparks which spread out at the 3.3 moment the trick article is lifted, the frictionwheel spindle of the sparkingdevice is mounted vertically, and the wheel is seated on the top of the spindle, while the co-acting blocking lever is mounted horizontally on the lower end of the spindle. Moreover, in order to put a sudden stop tothe action of the sparking device when the article is put back on to the support the lever fixed on the friction-wheel spindle and blocked by the trip lever is provided with two arms. This 45 arrangement prevents any damage to the support, such as the table top, during the lifting and replacing of the article. Particular advantage is obtained by making the blocking lever seated on r the friction-wheel spindle resilient and providing 50 it with a nose. Theresilient blocking lever preferably constitutes the free end of a spiral spring situated on the friction-wheel spindle, the other end being attached to said spindle.

This arrangement produces a resilient checking 55 of the sparking device, of such a kind that each time the blocking lever is checked by the trip lever, the friction-wheel spindle and the other members connected therewith are brought tov a standstill, not brusquely but smoothly and flexibly, with the beneficial result of reducing the 5 strain on the mechanism. Consequently, even weak gear mechanism can stand the stresses imposed. This is also important, since it enables the weight of the trick article to be kept correspondingly low.

The invention will be clearly understood from the following description aided by the 'accompanying drawings, in which the invention is illustrated, by way of example, and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a matchbox resting on a support. 1

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the matchbox lifted off the support.

Figure 3 is a section through the matchbox, showing the sparking device in plan view. go

Figure 4 is a section along line IV-IV of Figure 3, and Figure 5 a section along line V--V of Figure3.

Figure 6 is a side elevation of the matchbox, and Figure 7 is a section along line VII-VII of Figure 3.

Figure 8 is a; plan of the drawer taken out of the shell, the clockwork mechanism being removed. Figure 9 is a section along line IX-IX of Figure 8, and Figure 10 a section along line XX of Figure 8.

. Figure 11 is a longitudinal sectionof another typical embodiment of the matchbox, in position on the support; and Figure 12 is a longitudinal section of said matchbox when lifted off 5 the support.

Figure 13 is a section through the box, with a plan view of the sparking device; and Figure 14 is a section alone line XIV XIV of Figure 11.

The trick article according to Figures-l-IO consists of the matchbox outer case or shell I, and the drawer 2 with walls 3 and 4 at its ends and walls 5 and 6 on the long sides. The wall 3 is lower than the wall 4, so that a gap 1 is left open at the one end. Mounted inside the drawer 2 45 is a clockwork mechanism 8, the spindle 9 of which carries a toothed wheel l0. This latter gears with a pinion ll mounted on a spindle l2 l1, bent at a right angle and pointing obliquely upward, its end being provided with a downwardly directed end l8. At the opposite end, the

the outer casing I and that of the drawer 2 are provided with coinciding holes 20, 2|, which lie in the direction of movement of the end I 8 of the rod, so that this latter can protrude when no longer resting on a support. The members l6, l1, i9, i8 form the trip lever, by means of which the sparking device is blocked and actuated.

Mounted in the longitudinal wall 5 of the drawer 2, on the one hand, and in the upper plate 26 'of the clockwork mechanism 8, on the other, is a transverse pin 22 carrying a movable arm 23, the other end of which c. rries the flint 24. A spring 25 attached to the arm 23 and bearing against the top of the box casing I, presses the arm 23 against the friction wheel l3.

In the example shown in Figures 11-14, the movement of the toothed wheel I0 is transmitted to the pinion ll through another toothed wheel 21.

The flint 24 is guided in a sleeve 28, and is pressed against the friction wheel l3 by a spring 29 which is also guided in the sleeve 28.

In this embodiment, the two-armed blocking lever is replaced by a helical spring 30, mounted on the spindle I2 between the pinions H and friction wheel l3, its one end being attached to the spindle, while the other end is free and extends outward, thus constituting a rotational resilient arm 3|. The trip lever 32 is mounted at 33, and its free end 34 bent down at right angles, passes through the holes 20, 2| in the bottom of the box members I and 2. Near its pivotal point 33 the lever 32 is bent to. form an upwardly extending nose 35.

The two described embodiments of the trick article function in the following manner:

The apparent matchbox, with the clockwork wound up, is laid on a solid support, such as a table top A. In so doing, vthe trip lever assumes the position indicated in Figures 1, 6, '7, 9, 10 and 11, in which the end H3 or 34 passing through the holes 20, 2| rests on the surface A. On the article being lifted from the surface A (see Figures 2 and 12), the end it or 36 is deprived of support and drops by gravitation, so that the extension 19, or nose 35, is moved out of reach of the blocking lever Id or resilient arm 3|, and thus releases these latter. The clockwork is now able to act and rotates the friction wheel 13. Owing to the friction set up between the flint 2d arid the surface of the friction wheel, showers of sparks are produced and projected outside through the gap 1 left in the one end of the drawer 2.

This is the basic idea of the trick. Anyone unacquainted with the kind and arrangement of the article, and picking it off the table A with a view to using it as a matchbox, will be astonished by the projected shower of sparks, and, as a rule, so startled as to drop the article.

On the article being replaced on the table A, or other solid support, the end H3 or 3:3 is pushed into the box, and the extension I9 or nose 35 is again brought within reach of the blocking lever 14, or resilient arm 3i, so that the rotation of the friction wheel i3 is arrested and the clockwork prevented from continuing to run down.

The trick article according to the invention can also be designed as some commodity other than having a gap therein, and containing a trick device, said device comprising a sparking element having a friction wheel and a spindle therefor, means for rotating the spindle, a trip lever, and means on the spindle cooperating with the lever for blocking and stopping the spindle when the article is in position on a support, said trip lever upon the article being lifted, actuated by-gravity being adapted to release the last-mentioned means to permit rotation of the spindle and the friction wheel by said first-mentioned means so that the sparks will be projected from the gap in the closed matchbox, said blocking means being in the form of a two-armed blocking lever mounted on the spindle of the friction wheel, the

trip lever being arranged within reach of said two-armed blocking lever.

2'. A trick article, such as a closed matchbox having a gap therein, and containing a trick device, said device comprising a sparking element having a friction wheel and a spindle therefor, means for rotating the spindle, a trip lever, and means on the spindle cooperating with the lever for blocking and stopping the spindle when the article .is in position on a support, said trip lever upon the article being lifted, actuated by gravity being adapted to release the last-mentioned means to permit rotation of the spindle and the friction wheel by said first-mentioned means so that the sparks will be projected from the gap in the closed matchbox, said trip lever being provided with a bent nose which comes within reach of the second-mentioned means when in set position.

3. A trick article, such asa closed matchbox I for blocking and stopping the spindle when the article is in position on a support, said trip lever upon the article being lifted, actuated by gravity being adapted to release the last-mentioned means to permit rotation of the spindle and the friction wheel by said first-mentioned means so' that the sparks will be projected from the gap in the closed matchbox, said second-mentioned means being resilient.

-4. A trick article, such as a closed matchbox having a gap therein, and containing a trick device, said device comprising a sparking element having a friction wheel and a spindle therefor, means for rotating the spindle, a trip lever, and means on the spindle cooperating with the lever for blocking and stopping the spindle when the article is in position on a support, said trip lever upon the article being lifted, actuated by gravity being adapted to release the last-mentioned means to permit rotation of the spindle and the friction wheel by said "first-mentioned means so that the sparks will be projected from the gap in the closed matchbox, said second-mentioned means being resilient and constituting the free end of a helical spring located on the friction wheel spindle, the other end being attached to said spindle.

being adapted to release the last-mentioned means to permit rotation of the spindle and the friction wheel by said first-mentioned means so that the sparks will beprojected from the gap in the closed matchbox, ,said friction wheel spindle being arranged vertically with the friction wheelabove the blocking device.

LUDWIG SCHNEIDER. 

